Supporting means



Oct. 6, 1925. 1,555,896

B. C. WEBSTER SUPPORTING Isms Filed June 25, 193

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN C. WEBSTER, OF SOUTHPORT. CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO COLUMBIA PHONOGRAPII COMPANY INC., QORPORA TION OF NEW YORK.

surron'rmc MEANS.

Application filed June 25, 1923. Serial no. 647,498.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN C. Var.- s'rna. a citizen of'the United States, and a resident 'of Southport, county of Fairfield. and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improved Supporting Means, of which the following, taken in con-- nection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improved supporting means, and the embodiment disclosed as illustrative of the broad invention, is for phonograph cabinet doors and the like. I I

An object of the invention is to provide a simple. durable hinge for doors, lids. and other movably supported means.

Another object is to provide for cone-cal ing the hinge. from view when the movably supported means is closed.

Another object is to provide improved means for holding a movably supported means closed against accidental opening movement.

A further object is to provide an improved means for limiting movements of doors. lids. and the like. I

A further object is to provide for checking the closing movements of doors, lids. and the like. to prevent slamming in closing.

A still further object is to provide a hinge and catch formed as a unitary device.

A further object is to provide a hinge and a stop means combined in a single structure.

And a still further object is to provide a single device constituting a. hinge, a stop, and a catch.

Another obiect is to prevent straining and breaking of doors, lids, and the like in clos ing and opening. bv providing stop means for separately limiting the movements of both ends of a door or lid. etci. and further to prevent warping by providing catches for both ends of the door or lid.

And'still further objects are to provide methods of absorbing the shock when a door or lid is closed. of limiting the swinging movements of the latter, and of holding the same in closed position.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanving drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of a cabinet. showing the invention as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hinge, shown mounted on the upper part of the doorillustrated at the left in Fig. 1, the parts being in closed position;

Fig. '3 'is a perspective view of the hinge, shown located at the upper part ofthe door at the right in Fig. 1, the parts being shown in open position, and the stop for limiting the outward movement of the door shown in operative position; I I

Fig.4 is a plan view of the lower hinge of the door shown at the left in Fig. 1: but, in thiscase, the'door is shown in dot-anddashlines, several of the positions of the parts 'of the hinge being shown in dotted lines:

-Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lower hinge of the door shown at the right in Fig. 1; and- Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of hinge. a:

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several. figures of the drawing.

The hinges are provided in sets of two, one for the upper and the other for the lower end of the door, or each side of a lid or'the like, and each set is adapted for use on either right-side or left-side doors by merely having their. positions reversed. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 1, in which the left-side door 10. and the rightside door '11, each have hinges A and B. the latter being like hinges A, but having their parts oppositely disposed.

As shown, each hinge has a stationary or non-moving member 12 (Fig. 4) for attachmentto transverse portions of the doorframe 13 by screws 14 passed through holes 15 in the member 12, and a moving member 16 adapted'to be'secured to a door-end by like screws 14 passing through holes; 17 therein. Preferably, the members 12 and 16 are located in cut-out portions or rabbets formed in the door-frame and doorend. respectivelv. and protruding but sl ghtly. if at all. above the surfaces of these parts of the cabinet, and so being concealed from view when the door is closed. Th s arrangement is ve y dv-m ta eous. because. beina co ea d t hinges need have no spe ial in 't a he made up in iust one style tor all oors or lids. Moreover. they can b ma e e"t"' thick for strength rposes, a feature not possible in an -e2ip ed Hinge, Because o f clumsy appearance. Also, such a hinge can be made of any-material, without regard to the style/so? The dooror :lid or its finish.

As shown, each member 12 '(Fig. 2-) is connected to its associated member =16 by a pin 18 on the latter, rotating in a hole or bearing 19 in the member :12. -But the pin 18 may, of course, be on either part as desired.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 thatyalthough the member 12 is located about centrally of the door, the pin 18 isOfl'Setth'refrOm forwardly as "niuchas 'possible' without being exposed, being practically o'n the/edge of the member-and adjacent the 'relatiarelfy narrow strip of door-material behind which the-memb'eris concealed. This'is'done'so that a'large, unsightly space need not'b'e 'left between-the door and'door-frame, itibeing necessaryflby the above construction, to provide'vei'yllttle clearance to allow the 'door'to swing. "For, with this arrangement, the corner 20 M the door, in its movement, travels 'butslightly toward the side of the door-frame. and more over. moves away from it immediately after the first part of themovenrerit.

By having the pins 18 verticallvabove and below the door. ah'd close to their p'bin-tsbf attachment, there is the minimum tendehdy for the screws to be *pdlle'd 'out-bf theii' holes with the censeqii'entsazsingof the door.

Referring now, articularly to the dorm of the invention shown in Figs. 11:04:

To stop or limit the outward lnovement of the door, the movin'g'inember I6 is pro vided with an arin 21-, having a projection 22 bent toward, and adapted to engage the member 12 when in assembledrelatibn. This member 12 has a cut-out 23150 allow'a'mdvement of the door throuhlinangl e of at lezist ninety degrees. as 'is *dis'cld'sed'in Fig.4.

The arm '21 is furthrutilized-at onedf the elements of a catch or detest for lio'ldingthe door closed, and for th is' ptl'rpose, it lras a rounded abntinent 24. The other element of the catch 'is an arcaa'te arm *Zfi'ektfending otitwardly from the'body 'O'fthe nieirib'e'r 1:2. and 'havi'mr at its outer end a proie'ticn 26 xtending mm the path at the abtitment '24. The arrangement i'ssn'chfthat these'twbelenients'the projection 26 and'the abutment H -donotreadilvpermit each-other to pass when the doo'r is 'being ened or closed: but. upon the application siffficient force. they yield and slip by each other. In the form shown. the arm 25. "being of resilient material. yields and moves 'to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. '4. when the door is closing or "opening. and is made "arcuatc and relatively long so as to have suflici'ent resiliency to'thns function asa spring. But. itshould be noted. 'that the "H'rifiQl or the arm 25, or any portion of either of them mayield, or they may -mutuall'y yield, and that i he yielding part or pairts may move relatively in any way to permit passage of the projection and abutment. i

The abut ineiit'fihndthc projection 2'6act as a shock-absorber vvhen the dodr is slammed.;shut. because they resist thefinal closing movement of the door. and, in yielding to allow-the door to close, take up much of the force and prevent the door from striking hard against-its stop.

The abutment'QA and stop 22, both on the meinber 16,'ar'e separated by a notch 27. which allows them to be-separatly altered or adjusted by hammering or otherwise. The member 16 (Fig. 4%, further. has a notch or'cutaway-part-28 between thearin 21-an'd its body, sothat the screw-ho e 15 in the underlying member 12. will be accessible, when the door 'is wide-open, to permit the screw to be positioned through the notch 28.

Theabut'ment 24 and the-arcuate arm 25. in addition to having the functions above named, also act as guides to maintain the dooror lid in correct alignment, and further. toincrease the bearing surface and thus reduce wear at the main body portion of the hi-nge'the-abutment 24 riding along the surface of 'the'arm' 25 in the swimsri'ng movements of the door'to accomplish this.

The door has its closing mo'vementlimited by'a stop-lug 29 (Fig. 2) on the arm 21. en gagingthe projection 26 of arcuate arm 25 of stationary member 12. The abutment and stop lug have between them a notch '80 in which-the proiection 26 is positioned while the door is closed, so that the spring action of thea'rcna'teia'rm in the-notch tends to keep the doortiihtly closed. It willthus;be;seen.

that the door has both its open and closed positions determined and limited by means located adjacent the hin'zingz point of 'thr door. and that,'in fact. the stopping means is provided'as a unitary structure with the other parts of the hinge.

Further. it wil be-seenthat the hi'nge.,tho catch, and the shock-absorber are provided as a-nnitary structure or device. This is an important featttre. effecting substantial savings in the cost'o'f manufacture, and also in the assemblina of the "cabinet. since only a single attaching bp'eration is necessary to provide forthe'three functions. It is also advantageous in that the parts, being con- Ifeeted, have a predetermined relation in which they are kept. and require no adjustment'or alteration relativelv after being attached to the'door. as would-b'e necessary if the functions were each p ovided for h s parate means.

Bv having the stop means at both the top and'botto'm of the door. bendinxz'or breaking of the latter is'avoided. since the strain. due to the movable members of the hinges striking the stops, is evenly distributed. Also,

by having the catches at the top and bottom of the door, it is held at both ends and will not have so great a tendency to warp.

It will be seen that each of the parts 12 and 16 can be made by stamping from sheetmetal, the projection 22 on the part 16 and the projection on the part 25 being made either during the blanking of the part or during the perforating operation.

Fig. 6 shows a modification of the form of hinge just described and shown in the other figures. It has the above described features and, in addition, provides for applying an adjustable braking force gradually to the door, as it is being closed, to act as a check. This hinge includes members 12 and 16, the latter having an arm 21, like the arm 21 shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Instead of the long arcuate arm, however, there is provided a shorter arm 31, pivoted upon a screw 32, threaded thereon and passing through the member 12, and having at its other end a screw 33. pivotally supporting a curved arm 34 carrying a projection 35, similar to the projection 26 on the arm 25 shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The arm 21. on the movable member 16. has a downwardly bent lug 36, adapted to travel in front of the curved arm 34 to engage and pass the projection 35 when the hinge is closing, the arm 31 being resilient so as to allow such movement. The arrangement is such that the lug 36 frictionally engages the adjacent surface of the arm 34 in the movement of the hinge, and this engagement may be varied at will by loosening the screws 32 and 33, and suitably adjusting the parts to change the angular position of the arm 34, and move it to and from the projection 36. For instance, if it is desired merely to increase the friction. or braking action, the screw 32 is loosened, so that the arms 31 and 34 together can be moved closer to the projection 36 on the movable member. This increases, friction. or braking action along the entire travel of the projection 36. If. however, it is desired to increase the braking action toward the end of the doors movement, or to reduce it. screw 33 is loosened and the part 34 is angularlv adjusted to bring its end. carrying the lug 35, to or from the path of the projection 36. It will, therefore, be seen that by reason of these two adjustments the braking action for the closing movement of the door may be regulated to suit any condition, and may be so as to gradually increase as the closed position is reached. or to be substantially the same throughout the entire closing movement.

The arrangement may be such that the frictional braking action is produced by face-to-face contact of the moving and stationary members, instead of the edge-to-edge contact as shown. For, either the moving or stationary arm, or both, may resiliently ex tend toward each other to engage under pressure and produce the required friction. And either arm may be adjusted to change their normal relative positions to vary the braking action;'or means for increasing or reducing the resiliency may be provided.

It should be understood that the term door is intended, throughout the specification and in the annexed claims, to include any movably supported means, and particularly, to embrace such closure means, as lids, covers, windows, gates, hatches, etc., and that they may be large or small,the parts being, of course, made sufficiently strong to accommodate the weight of the movablv supported means depending upon the conditions of use. It should also be understood that the term door-frame is intended to include any kind or form of means upon which the door, lid, or the like is hung.

Parts of the improvements may be used without others, and "ariations and modifications may be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described the invention. what is claimed as new and for which Letters Patent is desired, is:

1. A hinge including two interconnected, relatively movable members, one having an abutment, an elongated arcuate arm on the other, and means carried by the arcuate arm and adapted to engage with the abutment, the arcuate arm being adapted to yield to allow the abutment and means to pass.

2. A hinge including two parts, projecting means on one part, and cooperating means on the other adapted to limit the relative movement of the parts in one direction, and other cooperating means on the parts adapted to resist relative movement of the parts in the opposite direction.

3. A hinge including two parts, each of which has an angularlv disposed arm, said arms extending in substantially the same directions and in the planes of their respective parts, and each of the arms having a bent portion for limiting the relative movement of the parts in two directions.

4. A hinge including a moving member and a stationary member. each of the members having an angularly-disposed arm, said arms extending in substantially the same directions and in the planes of their members, and a means on each of the arms for limiting the movement of the moving member in two directions.

5. In combination, a door, a frame therefor, a combined hinge, stop and catch for the door adapted to be concealed from view when the door is closed, said stop and catch being formed with the members of the hinge. and said catch comprising a pair of laterally-extending resilient arms adaptiii ed to -come in'to sliding frictional contact as the door isjmoved closed. 1

6. A means of preventing a door or lid from slamming closed, including a friction brake means operable during the closing movement of the door or lid, said brake means being non-operable when 'the door or lid is open, said "means comprising a pair of laterally-extending resilient arms adapted to come into fIlCtlO'Ilfll contact when the door is moved closed, one of'thearms being arcuate and offering increasing resistance to the'closin'g movement of the door.

7. In combination, a anovably supported means, 'a-suppdrt 'the'refor, and a'n adjustab'l e friction-brake means retarding movemerits of 'themovably supported nfeans, said means including afpa'ir'ofarms arranged to Contact as the sup orting means 'is 'moved, one of the arms 'bein-g arciiate and resilient.

8. In combination, 'a'dooi', a frametherefor,and means including a pair of resilient arms'ateach'end' of the door "for holding it closed, 'oneof "said arms at each end being resilient and 'ai'ciiatb and both of *thein'exten'ding in the 'samege'neral direction.

4). A hin'g'e including tw-ostrips-of' metal pivotally connected for relative movement, an arm projecting from 'a longitudinal edge ofeaoh of'thestrips, one of the arms being arcuate and resilient, and the other arm having a' projection to engage and spring the arcuate arm as the strips are moved to a position where one overlies the other 1 7 l0. hinge including a pair of members pivotally connected for relative movement, an arm projecting from corresponding edges of each of the members, one of the arms being arcuate and resilient, a projection on said 'arcuate arm, the otherof said arms having a projection to engage and Spring the a'rcuate arm as the members of the hinge are moved closed, and said other arm havinga stop-lug to engage the projection dn the arcuate arm to limit the closing movement of the membeis.

'1 1. A device as in claim 10, the other arm having anabutm'ent to spring by the pro jection of the "arcuate arm and form therewith a iateh.

12, A. hinge including a pair of strap members operating in parallel planes, means pivoting the members together, a resilient arcua'te arm projecting laterally fromone of the members, an inclined arm projecting laterally from the other membe1-and in "the same 1 eneral 'direction as the arcnate'arm, and said arms having portions adaptedto engage and pass each other as the strap members are moved to overlapping position.- v

@Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, this 21st day of9June, A.-D.-l923. a, v BENJAMIN C. WEBSTER. 

